Activity: Project Approval Review
Purpose
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| Role: Management Reviewer | |
| Frequency: Once per project | |
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| Input Artifacts: | Resulting Artifacts: |
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The Project Approval Review is an important hurdle for a new project to pass. At this review, executive or senior management will determine whether there is sufficient technical and economic justification for the business to undertake the project.
Schedule Project Approval
Review Meeting 
The first step is to identify those individuals that should participate in the Project Approval process and schedule a time for them to meet to review the project proposal. Most organizations have a standing management committee that makes these decisions. Typically this committee would include representation from technical, financial, marketing, and sales areas of the business.
Once the participants in the Project Approval Review Meeting have been identified, set a date/time for the meeting to take place. It is important that you provide sufficient lead time to allow the participants to review the project materials that will be used as the basis for the approval decision.
Distribute Meeting Materials
Prior to the meeting, distribute the project materials to the reviewers. Make sure these materials are sent out sufficiently in advance of the Project Approval Review Meeting to allow the reviewers adequate time to review them. A minimum set of artifacts that should be presented for review is:
- Vision
- Business Case
- Risk List
Conduct Project Approval
Review Meeting
During the meeting, the reviewers assess the merits of the proposed project. The objective is for the group to reach a consensus decision whether to proceed with the project or not. Consider such things as:
- Customer benefits provided by the product
- Internal business benefits provided by the product
- Technical benefits provided by the product
- Can the project's costs be accommodated?
- Is there an adequate Return On Investment (ROI)
- Are the required resources available or acquirable?
- Are early (Inception Phase) project commitments achievable?
At the end of the meeting, the reviewers should make their approval decision. The result can be one of the following:
| Approved | The project will proceed. At a minimum, funds and resources will be made available for initial Inception Phase activities. |
|---|---|
| Not Approved | There is not sufficient merit to proceed with this project |
| Decision deferred | More information is needed, or further investigation is required before an approval decision can be made. |
Record Decision
At the end of the meeting, a Review Record is completed capturing any important discussions or action items, and recording the result of the Project Approval Review. If the result was "decision deferred" a follow-up Project Approval Review Meeting should be scheduled for a later date.
